Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) has announced the postponement of the 8th National Voter Day, which was initially scheduled for March 2. The decision was communicated through a letter issued on Thursday, directing the central celebration committee and its field-level offices to suspend all related programs until further notice.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the postponement is attributed to the upcoming by-polls in Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3, alongside inadequate preparation amid the ongoing month of Ramadan. EC Director of Public Relations, Ruhul Amin Mollik, elaborated that the decision was made to ensure the event's successful execution at a later date. The National Voter Day is expected to be observed nationwide after the by-polls, as indicated by EC official Rahman.
The EC has disseminated the postponement notice to the Convener of the Central Celebration Committee, regional election officers, and Upazila or Thana election officers. Initially, the Commission planned to celebrate the day in the capital, divisional cities, district towns, and Upazila headquarters across Bangladesh, under the theme "Empowered Voters, Liberated Democracy."
National Voter Day was first introduced in 2019, following a Cabinet Division notification issued on April 8, 2018. The observance date was later shifted to March 2 each year, as per a January 15, 2020, cabinet notification, which replaced the earlier March 1 date.